THE LATEST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1395, 8 May 1915, Page 3

THE LATEST.

CONTRADICTORY MESSAGE. The latest regarding the Lusitania indicates that when the vessel sunk there were An boats afloat. It is stated that there is great hope of saving many lives. Prior to the Lusitania sailing a German advertising campaign was started throughout the American press warning passengers of the risks they took in crossing the Atlantic owing to submarines. The State Department at Washington refused to suppress the advertisements, us no precedent existed. Fifty anonymous telegrams were received by wealthy Americans aboard the Lusitania, on the (joint of sailing, warning them that the liner would be torpedoed. The relatives of the passengers besieged them, begging them to abandon the voyage. The majority, however, departed. Foreigners round the docks passed the word that death accompanied the Lusitania this voyage, creat ing almost a panic. Count von Beruslorff, German Ambassador to the Coiled States, issued a warning that the Atlantic must he regarded as a war zone, but it did nut produce the slightest alarm in Liverpool, where shipowners described it as another sample of German bluff.

The Lusitania s tiled amid excitement due to the newest manifestation of Count Hernstorff’s flagrant disrespect of American neutrality. Amongst numerous telegrams received on the pier and signed with obviously fictitious names, were some declaring that the liner would certainly be torpedoed. Mr Alfred Vanderbilt destroyed his message without comment.

The Cunard Company allowed none of the passengers by the Lusitania to cross the gangway until their credentials had been presented.

The Lusitania, owned by the Canard Company, of Liverpool, is a sister ship of the Mauretania. She was considered to be the liuest passenger liner alloat, and trades regularly between New York and Liverpool. She was finished in LOT by J. Brown and Co., Glasgow, and is 82,000 tuns gross, 79oft. long, breadth SSft., and depth 60.9 ft. She has made the passage between New York and Queenstown (Ireland) in four days 15 hours, an average speed of 27.8 knots. Her sister ship, the Mauretania, holds the record for this trip, four days lo hours.